For Now
by Ms Kitten
Summary: Set in an AU season four, Brandon and Andrea have to deal with something very unexpected.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Of course I don't own Beverly Hills 90210, I was six years old when the first season aired. Also, had it been in my power Brandon and Andrea would've actually happened.

AN: Let's pretend Jesse never existed. At some unspecified moment during High School Brandon and Andrea went from best friends to something more. The story is set in the middle of season four. Feedback is of course very welcome ;)

AN2: Isn't it incredible that Andrea isn't even listed at this site? She was in 144 frickin' episodes, that should certainly earn her a spot in the list. Anyone with me?

* * *

They were so quiet leaving the doctor's office that Brandon was sure that if a pin had been dropped they would hear it. He turned his head towards Andrea. She had yet to say anything. Ever since the doctor had said her piece, Andrea had just stared into the open space, as if she hadn't heard a single word of it, but Brandon knew better. He knew those words were repeating themselves in her mind like a mantra, if she hadn't already moved on to panicking about the future, that was.

What freaked him out the most was how quiet she was. Hysterical Andrea he could deal with. He had plenty of experience. Even after they had started going out they had butted heads so many times that it was second nature by now. Brandon thought with some amusement that if their relationship were to have a theme song, 'Love is a Battlefield' would probably be a good choice.

Brandon stared at Andrea, who was very slowly making her way down the corridor one miniscule step at a time. He wished she would just say something, anything. Yell, go into full panic mode, scream at him that it was all his fault. He'd rather have her chucking things after him, screaming at the top of her lungs than staring quietly into the air like this. That was something he just couldn't handle.

"Andrea?" he said, hoping to break the silence.

She stopped up. At least he'd gotten a reaction. Then a hand rose to her mouth and she mumbled, "sorry, I have to..." before making a dash towards the bathroom.

It took him a couple of seconds before realizing he probably should follow. For the first time in his life he ignored the sign labeling the room as the women's bathroom. He recognized her shoes sticking out from one of the stalls. She had been in such a hurry that she hadn't had the time to close the door, forget about locking it. He winced when he heard the retching. True he hadn't had a drink in years, but he could still remember the hangovers, hanging over the porcelain, convinced he was going to turn inside out at any minute. He couldn't help to think nature was a cruel being to make someone to go through that for months.

He walked up to the stall. Andrea was crouched over the bowl, her left hand holding onto the edge while her right held her hair out of the way. Brandon took two steps forward and bent down next to her. He placed one hand supportingly on her shoulder while the other took over the job of holding back her hair, allowing her to use both hands to support herself.

It felt like forever to him. He didn't even want to think about what it had to be like for her. When it seemed like the nausea had subdued, he grabbed some tissue and handed it to her. Even after wiping her mouth and flushing, Andrea remained hanging over the toilet bowl, as deafening quiet as ever.

Brandon wondered if maybe she still felt queasy. He was about to say something when he noticed her shaking. It was barely noticeable at first. For a moment he thought she felt chilly, but then he heard the quiet sobs coming from her.

He did the one thing that came natural to him, he reached over and pulled her towards him. The sobbing only increased at this. He urged her to lean her head against his chest, allowing him to put his arms around her properly, stroking one hand up and down her back while listening to her muffled sobs.

He didn't say anything. What could he say? That it was going to be okay? He didn't know that. They had only just started college for crying out loud. He was probably as scared to death about this as she was. But he didn't feel now was the right time to lay that on her, not when she needed him to be her rock. His time would come later.

For now he just held her.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Yes, I did say this was only to be a one-shot, but the requests combined with some eager plot bunnies planted two more chapters in my head. So I can promise there will be a third chapter to this story. I can't promise there will be more, but should the plot bunnies work their magic again, then maybe there could be more. I will however mark the story as "Complete" once I post the third chapter.

* * *

"I can't believe you of all people are saying this!"

The first couple of days they had purposely avoided bringing the topic up around one another, each giving the other space to think things through. Now a week later, they still hadn't brought it up. At least not until Andrea showed up on his door step telling him she wanted an abortion.

At first Brandon was too stunned to speak, then he got angry. True, he wasn't exactly set on becoming a father at his age, but he had at least been under the impression that they were going to talk about their options before making any decision. The way she had said it made it sound like his opinion wouldn't weigh in one bit.

"Brandon," Andrea sighed, "you don't want the responsibility that comes with a baby any more than I do."

She still hadn't moved from her spot over by the front door, as if preparing to make a quick getaway.

"Maybe not, or maybe I do. Did it ever occur to you that I might not have made up my mind, yet?"

"We just started college," Andrea said desperately. "The timing couldn't have been worse."

"The timing is almost always bad," Brandon pointed out. "If everyone thought like you there would be a lot less people in the world."

"There's a difference between not fitting perfectly with your plans and possibly jeopardising your entire future."

"Who says this has to jeopardise anything?"

"Come on, Brandon. You know as well as I do that I can't study full-time, work on the side _and_ raise a baby on top of it."

"The way you're talking you'd think I've abandoned you already." Brandon threw his hands up in frustration. "You wouldn't be alone."

"And where were you planning to fit a baby into your schedule?"

"I'm not planning _anything_!" Brandon cried out in frustration. "I simply want to have a say in what's supposed to be _our_ decision."

She bit her lip and took a deep breath. Her voice merely a whisper, Andrea finally said. "Yet, when it comes down to it, it's my body..."

"Oh, that's _great_!"

"Brandon, I didn't mean it like..."

"You're _unbelievable_!" He began pacing the room, gesticulating wildly. "All those years I've known you. The whole time you've been all about equal opportunities, equal rights... Now you expect me to just step aside and get _no_ say in a matter that concerns me _just_ as much as it concerns you!?!"

Brandon was literally fuming.

"You think this is _easy_ for me!?!" Andrea cried out. "Do you!?!"

He didn't know why, as he had seen her angry on more than a few occasions, but the force of it took him by surprise. His mouth remained open, but no reply came. He couldn't even form a simple 'umm'.

Andrea's voice still carried an edge to it when she spoke again, though this time at a more normal volume.

"I'm nineteen. I'm pre-med. My courseload is hard enough to manage when I'm just me. Add a baby into the mix and it spells out disaster. I can't even finish up a simple school paper because I am running to the bathroom at all hours. How am I even gonna make it nine months? What do I even have to offer a baby? I live on a scholarship for crying out loud..."

Her eyes were now glassy and she was blinking incessantly.

"This is something I _have_ to do. And... and if you find you can't forgive me for my decision, then I..."

A tear trickled down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away and lowered her head.

"I'll understand," she muttered almost inaudibly.

"Hey..."

Brandon's expression softened and he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. He hadn't meant to lay all this guilt on her, or make her think she'd have to choose between her future and him. Now she was on the verge of crying and he felt just terrible.

"You're not getting rid of me that easily," he whispered into her ear.

He was rewarded with a mixture between a sniffle and a laugh. Pulling back for a moment, he saw a hint of a smile on her tearful face. He placed a reassuring kiss on her forehead before again pulling her into a hug.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: I am now marking the story as "complete" again. Not because I know for sure there won't be anymore chapters, but because I don't want to once more make the mistake of promising more than I can deliver. So this story can be considered complete at this point in time. Enjoy, and please, by all means review ;)

* * *

When the alarm rang that morning, Brandon had been sure of one thing. He was in no shape to go to class today. Because he was more than aware what today was. Andrea had been completely upfront about it. He knew when, he knew where and if he'd asked her he'd probably know who as well.

He had offered to go with her, naturally, but she hadn't accepted. Deep down she knew he was not comfortable with her decision, and while part of Brandon was both grateful and relieved of her consideration of him, he also felt hurt and rejected.

Unable to think about much else than what today was, Brandon was grateful to discover he would have the house to himself as Mr. Walsh headed to work, Brenda to the University and Mrs. Walsh decided to drive out to the Farmer's Market for the day. But, as the last of them drove off and silence filled the Walsh residence, Brandon soon experienced the flip side of the coin.

He found himself checking the time every couple of minutes and against his will imagining where Andrea was and what she was doing. When eleven o'clock was slowly approaching, Brandon turned the TV on for distraction. Nothing was on, of course, but he occupied himself with flicking through the several hundred channels he had at his disposal.

Completely consumed with the task, Brandon jumped when he heard he door bell chime. He glanced up at the clock and realized it had already been an hour. How could it already be an hour?

The door bell chimed once more, so he got up and crossed the living room floor into the hallway. Reaching out, he turned the knob and opened the door to reveal his girlfriend standing on the other side. Upon seeing her a knot formed in his stomach. Considering she hadn't wanted him to come with her, Brandon had to admit a part of him was surprised to see her.

Another part was not.

Her arms huddled against her chest, Andrea's eyes barely met his. She looked as though she either had cried, or was about to.

She didn't speak, didn't move. Just stood in front of him, as if she was waiting for him to make the first move. It was then he realized he was holding the door only half-open, a gesture that could easily be taken as a rejection, especially considering the circumstances. Quickly he opened it all the way up and motioned for her to come in.

She hesitated at first, but then stepped across the threshold, her arms still tightly huddled against her body. Her mouth opened, then closed without as much as a sound passing. She was clearly having trouble finding the words.

"Did you..?" Brandon finally asked.

A tear ran down her cheek and Brandon felt a second knot forming. But then she shook her head...

Brandon didn't know how to respond. Not even how to feel. He had been so focused on protesting his lack of say in her decision that he hadn't given himself time to think about where _he_ stood on the matter. Were the knots in his stomach really there because he hadn't wanted her to go through with it? Then why did he feel a third one on its way?

"You didn't?" He already had the answer, he just needed to hear her say it.

She blinked, turned her gaze away from him and swallowed hard.

"I couldn't..."

Already now Brandon could hear her voice break. Two quick steps forward and his arms were wrapped around her. Her breathing was erratic, so he used his hands to stroke her back soothingly. Eventually her breathing calmed and she was once more capable of speaking in full sentences. He loosened his hold on her so that he was able to look her in the eyes.

"What happened?" he urged.

Andrea turned her gaze down and shook her head.

"It made sense. Everything I said last week still applied, but... but when I saw the tube, it really hit me what I was about to do..." Her voice once more began to shake. "And I just couldn't... I couldn't go through with it."

"Hey," he whispered soothingly. "It's okay."

She leaned into him and buried her face in his chest. He heard quiet sobs coming from her followed by a timid, "_What are we gonna do_?"

"We'll figure it out," he promised her.

But inside he wasn't as sure. Inside he felt terrified, weighed down by the responsibility that had so suddenly been heaped upon him. And maybe a little bit nauseous...

The only solace he found was the fact that others before him had managed. And that at least gave him hope that sometime in the next eight months he would have the answer.


End file.
